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Jimmy Scott was known as Little Jimmy Scott during the '50s and '60s, as an R&B (Rhythm and Blues) singer, and made many recordings, but what he had really wanted to be called a jazz balladeer. Savoy was a recording company known to sign on and bind naive and un-knowing artists with unreasonable contracts, and thrive on them. Ray Charles produced Jimmy's recording, which drew a big attention when DJs played it all over the US, but Savoy interfered citing his contract. This kind of thing happened twice, and after this incident, Jimmy Scott's renown became lost to the world. In the '90s, though, Jimmy's jazz standards, sung
with a bluesy note straight from the bottom of his heart, was revived
by Seymour Stein who headed Sire Records, affiliated with Warner
Brothers. This came to be when Jimmy sang "Someone To Watch
Over Me" at the funeral of Doc
Pomus who had been working behind the scenes for Jimmy
Scott's comeback but had died before accomplishing it. The story of Jimmy's misfortunes and his extraordinary
life was broadcast by NHK just before he came to Japan in 1999. |
There are multitudes of Jimmy Scott fans here in Japan, and from his first visit in 1992, and his yearly visits since 2000, many fans have been able to enjoy his shows, but I am wondering right now how much longer he can keep on doing his shows here. He "chants" standard songs that everyone knows in his style, and I was so impressed by his "Day By Day" at his Tokyo live show, he sang it slowly, so very slowly right to the limit. I have never heard "Day By Day" sung like this. He sang it digesting each and every word of the lyric. When he listens to others sings, I am told that he always says, "You shouldn't sing in such a hurry," but to sing very slowly is so much more difficult than you can imagine. You can listen to records and CDs any time you want to, but those who have been able to listen to him sing live are very lucky people. Whether you are a professional or sing just as a hobby, any and every one who sings is sure to receive some message or other from his songs. Trans. by Sanae RIP：Jimmy died at 88
Jazz singer Jimmy Scott -- famed for his unusually high soprano voice caused by a rare genetic condition -- has died, US media reported Friday. He was 88. Scott died in his sleep Thursday at his home in Las
Vegas, the reports said, without revealing the cause of death. |
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